iNews Briefs, More & Community Events
Community Events
Grand Court Jurors Report Date Changed
The Grand Court jury report date has been changed.
Grand Court Jurors who are in the 1 July – 6 October 2015 session are now to report on Wednesday, 29 July, 2015 at 9:45 a.m.
Please call the Jury Information line at 945-5072 for the most up-to-date information.
Immigration Department Closure On 31 July 2015
The Department of Immigration Headquarters, including Passport & Corporate Services, Visa Office and Front Counter, will be closed to the public for all but essential services on Friday, 31 July 2015. Only work permit and permanent residence applications (including applications for permission to continue to work (PCW)) that must be submitted prior to 1 August in order to allow continued employment will be accepted.
Time sensitive applications for visitor extensions will also be accepted.
The Passport & Corporate Services Office will not accept any applications but passports and visa waivers may be collected at the Immigration main counter location.
The Department will resume normal operations on Monday, 3 August and will also remain open to the public until 7.00pm on Wednesday 29 and Thursday 30 July.
The Department apologizes for any inconvenience the closure on 31 July may cause.
TUE 28 JULY
Free hepatitis B, C testing offered
As part of World Hepatitis Day observance on Tuesday, 28 July 2015, the Cayman Islands Hospital will offer free Hepatitis B and C testing from 9 am to 1 pm.
Free testing will also be available, by appointment only, throughout the week of Monday, 27 – Friday 31 July. Please call the STI and HIV Programme Coordinator, Nurse Laura Elniski at 244 2507 for an appointment or more information.
National Gallery Summer Cine Club for Kids
National Gallery Summer Cine Club for Kids is back with an all new selection of neat movies to enjoy! Screenings will be every Tuesday afternoon starting at 2:00 PM and children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. To ensure that authentic cinema experience, popcorn, cookies and juice will be on sale at each showing. On July 28th the film is Cool Runnings.
THU 30 JULY
Plumbers Examination Board
The next meeting of the Plumbers Examination Board is Thursday (30 Jul.) For more information, call 919-2837
National Gallery Summer Arts Drop Ins
The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands is thrilled to be hosting a Summer of Art, free programming that allows kids to utilise their creativity by participating in a range of imaginative activities. Drop-in sessions will take place in the National Gallery Education Centre every Thursday afternoon from 2:00 PM — 4:00 PM Each Summer Camp Drop-in session is different and gives kids ages 6 to 14 multiple opportunities to take part in a range of art-related activities including stenciling, creative group activities, painting, drawing and more.
FRI JULY 31
Deadline for Early Childhood Assistance Programme
The Ministry of Education offers funding to assist eligible young Caymanian children to attend an early childhood centre. Children who are eligible for either full or partial funding are able to receive this support between September 1st, 2015 and June 30th, 2016Application forms are available at the Government Administration Building on Elgin Avenue, at the Department of Education Services on Thomas Russell Way, and from early childhood centre directors/operators.
Cayman Islands government in discussions regarding money-services businesses
The Ministry of Financial Services, the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, representatives of the money-services businesses and members of the local banking industry are discussing the recent business decisions concerning remittance services.
‘While any commercial decisions regarding money-services businesses are a matter for the businesses and the banks to make themselves, Government and CIMA are arranging these discussions in order to address concerns on both sides, with the aim of ensuring that options remain open to consumers’, Minister Panton said.
‘We are encouraged by the level of collaborative engagement so far, and that all sides are working to ensure minimal disruption to remittance services locally’.
Cosby accuser can sue over decades-old assault claims
By Patience Haggin, From The Recorder
IMAGE: Gloria Allred
SAN FRANCISCO — A civil suit accusing Bill Cosby of sexual assault can move forward after the California Supreme Court denied a request to intervene.
The high court’s decision, made Wednesday without comment, means the 78-year-old actor may face a deposition by famed feminist lawyer Gloria Allred.
Allred represents Judy Huth, who alleges that Cosby forced her to perform a sex act on him at the Playboy Mansion in 1974, when she was 15. When Huth filed her suit in December, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office declined to file criminal charges, saying the statute of limitations had expired.
Allred told KNZ Newsradio on Wednesday that she wants to depose Cosby within 30 days
“We believe we have a right to take his deposition in this civil lawsuit. We are going to tomorrow provide him with dates in August when we are available to do that,” she said. “We are willing to even go to Massachusetts where allegedly he resides and take it.”
Cosby’s legal team argued Huth had not met the requirements for filing a sexual abuse claim outside the normal statute of limitations and sought to have the suit dismissed. After losing in the Los Angeles trial court and the court of appeal, Cosby asked the California Supreme Court for review. Cosby has also countersued Huth for extortion, alleging she tried to sell her story to the tabloids a decade earlier.
Cosby is represented in his Supreme Court petition by Jeremy Rosen and Frederic Cohen of Horvitz & Levy, as well as Hollywood lawyer Martin Singer of Lavely & Singer. Washington, D.C. solo practitioner Monique Pressley, has made several media appearances on the actor’s behalf.
Neither Pressely nor Allred responded to requests for comment Thursday.
Huth’s suit is one in a series of sexual assault allegations against Cosby, and follows news reports on a deposition the actor gave in 2005 in a separate sexual assault case. In excerpts from the deposition published Sunday by The New York Times, Cosby admitted to giving prescription sedatives to women with whom he hoped to have sex.
Miss Cayman Islands receives warnings about her conduct
Cayman Islands television station CITN/Cayman27 were the first to break the story that Miss Cayman Islands, Toni Chisholm, had received a disciplinary letter over her conduct and the performance of her duties. The report did not go into specifics and the committee said in a statement to CITN it was disappointed the matter had reached the public domain.
CNS, however, have stated that ‘their sources’ have told them the beauty Queen from North Side has been “partying a little hard, dressing inappropriately and, above all, not turning up for or fulfilling the obligations that come with the tiara and the sash.”
Miss Cayman will be representing her country at the Miss Universe Pageant in Shanghai, China at the end of this year.
PFM reform in Eastern Caribbean nations would bolster growth, says IMF
By Judith Ugwumadu From Public Finance International
The International Monetary Fund has called on members of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union to further strengthen their public financial management systems following sluggish economic growth.
It also urged the ECCU, the smallest and least known of the world’s currency unions, to use fiscal support measures to reduce public debt and increase tax revenues over the long term.
Following the 2008 global financial crisis, economic recovery in the region has been slow, the IMF said. Growth in 2015 is projected to be 2%, driven by an increase in tourism and low oil prices.
But the fund noted that public debt ratios across the ECCU were expected to stay high despite an improvement to fiscal discipline.
It urged the ECCU to meet the target to reduce debt to 60% of gross domestic target ahead of 2030 deadline as soon as possible. In April, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank’s monetary council extended the target date from 2020 to 2030 because of slack growth across the ECCU bloc over the past five years.
The IMF said: “Directors agreed that fiscal adjustment should reflect the need to scale back tax concessions, continue to restrain the wage bill, reform the social security system, and improve the performance of state-owned enterprises.
“Deeper regional collaboration in public service delivery could further mobilise budgetary savings. Directors also saw merit in the adoption of fiscal rules to anchor long-term fiscal policy and in additional steps to strengthen public financial management, including as regards revenues from citizenship by investment programmes.”
The currency union consists of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The member countries use a common currency, the East Caribbean dollar, which is pegged at EC$2.7169 to US$1.
Cayman Islands IMAC 2015 4th Annual Black Tie Gala
From Insurance Managers Association of Cayman
Save The Date for IMAC 4th Annual Black Tie Gala and Scholarship Fundraiser 2015
Location: The Ritz-Carlton, West Bay Road.
Price: CI$ 165.00 (US$ 196.43) per person, includes reception, dinner, scholarship auction, dancing.
All profits will be donated to the Educational Scholarship Fund
You can book a table of 10.
RSVP. Download the Registration Form and return to [email protected]
with cc to [email protected] at: http://www.imac.ky/events/member-events/imac-2015-4th-annual-black-tie-gala.aspx
Peak Re buys into Caribbean insurer Nagico
From InsuranceAsia News
Peak Reinsurance has agreed to buy a 50% stake in Nagico Holdings, a leading Caribbean insurance group.
Backed by Fosun International, the Hong Kong-based reinsurer has started to venture into non-Asian markets during the past year as part of a plan to diversify its portfolio.
Nagico offers personal and commercial property and casualty products in the Dutch-, French- and most of the English-speaking Caribbean, with leading market positions in several territories including St Martin, where it is headquartered.
“This investment provides us with attractive growth prospects in this region,” said Franz Josef Hahn, Peak Re CEO. “With the IFC, a member of the World Bank group, as one of our shareholders, Peak Re shares its enthusiasm in supporting the insurance industry in developing areas of the world such as the Caribbean.”
Nagico booked US$9.87 million of profit during 2014 on gross premium income of US$142.5 million. Shareholders’ equity was US$92.8 million at the time of its latest annual report, with gross insurance reserves of US$113 million. Revenues grew 20% during the year.
The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
“This strategic partnership allows us to exchange knowledge and capabilities in our respective regions, gain access to like-minded professionals and experts in the insurance realm,” said Imran McSood Amjad, Chairman of Nagico Group. “We look forward to a long-term and mutually beneficial relationship as we continue our quest to become one of the largest and most trusted insurers in the Caribbean.”
Peak Re is backed by Fosun International and the IFC, which have respectively invested 85.1% and 14.9% in the company. It offers reinsurance treaty services covering a range of lines.
For more: http://insuranceasianews.com/reinsurance/peak-re-buys-into-caribbean-insurer-nagico/
Moderate earthquake – Cayman Islands Region on July 23, 2015
From Before It’s News
The best independent earthquake reporting website in the world
Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : 4.9
Local Time (conversion only below land) : Unknown
GMT/UTC Time : 2015-07-23 20:22:40
Depth (Hypocenter) : 2 km
Citywealth chooses Harneys as Caribbean Offshore Firm of the Year finalist
From Harneys
Harneys has again been shortlisted in the Citywealth International Financial Centre Awards as Caribbean Law Firm of the Year. The firm was runner up last year in the IFC Awards 2015.
Now in their fifth year, the Citywealth IFC Awards were established to highlight the excellence of advisors and managers in the private wealth sector in the major international financial centres.
Harneys is instructed by leading international law firms, professional trust companies, leading private banks and wealthy private families on all matters relating to BVI and Cayman trusts. Its Trusts team offers solutions ranging from simple trusts to hold assets for one generation to complex trusts designed to last for multiple generations.
The IFC Awards 2016 will be presented on 20 January 2016 in London.
Teen nearly killed in Cayman Islands back home in Midlothian
From WTVR6 CBS
MIDLOTHIAN, VA — Nearly four months after almost being killed in a car crash while on spring break in the Cayman Islands, Harrison Zierenberg is back home.
“Everyday it gets better so I have the hope to keep going and never quit,” Zierenberg said.
Zierenberg was greeted by nearly a hundred supporters when he pulled into his driveway. Yellow ribbons lined the roadways and nearby schools put up signs saying “Harrison strong.”
Zierenberg arrived to a newly remodeled home. Because he is still in a wheelchair, his bedroom is now on the first floor.
“I’ve come along way and there is so much I can do,” Zierenberg told CBS 6. Next to his bed is a model of his skull featuring the large section that was removed as a result of the collision.
While Zierenberg still struggles to taste, smell, walk, and speak his mom said it’s a miracle he is back home.
“I’ve been bedside with him everyday so this is a dream come true,” LeeAnn Zierenberg said.
Many of Zierenberg’s friends stayed with him after his arrival and watched TV in the “theater room.”
“Thanks for all the support,” Zierenberg said with a smile.
LeeAnn Zierenberg said the driver who allegedly hit her son while he was crossing the street has so far not been charged.
For more and video: http://wtvr.com/2015/07/23/midlothian-teen-nearly-killed-in-cayman-islands-back-home/
For relates iNews stories re Zierenberg: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/?s=Zierenberg
CCJ ruling may have implications for telecoms companies in the region
By Andre Huie From Caribbean News Now
BASSETERRE, St Kitts (WINN) — A ruling this week by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) may have implications on how telecommunications companies dictate to their customers about what they can do with their internet service, according to local tech expert Russell Williams.
The ruling delivered on Monday involved the court’s decision in James Samuels v Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T). This appeal centered on the issue of whether GT&T breached its contract in disconnecting Samuels’ internet service because of his use of Vonage (an internet phone service that uses voice over internet protocol (VoIP) technology).
Samuels’ appeal was allowed and GT&T’s cross appeal dismissed. A release from the CCJ said the court accepted the findings of the trial judge that Samuels had not signed any written agreement with GT&T and he was given no notice of any restrictions on his internet usage. The court held that the court of appeal wrongly implied a term into the contract restricting Samuels’ use of his internet service for making and receiving international calls.
The CCJ ruling said there was no evidence to show how Samuels’ conduct would have affected GT&T’s business. The court refused to rule on whether Samuels’ action infringed the Telecommunications Act as this was a matter for the director of telecommunications. The court also expressed no view on whether GT&T’s exclusive licence was void based on the Civil Law Act, Cap. 6:01 and the Constitution because these matters were not part of Samuels’ original claim.
GT&T was ordered to pay damages and costs as awarded by the trial judge as well as the costs of the appeal before the CCJ.
Cayman Islands Speaker may face investigation
Cayman Islands Speaker of the House, Julianna O’Connor-Connolly directed government to purchase land for the development of affordable housing on Cayman Brac when she was Minister of District Administration, Works, Lands, and Agriculture in 2012.
However, the Auditor General Alastair Swarbrick, in his latest Report said there was no evidence Sister Islands Affordable Housing was ever consulted prior to the acquisition and the property has never been vested with them.
Because of this O’Connor-Connolly may be subject to an Anti-Corruption Committee (ACC) investigation.
Cozumel to host 2015 Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association Conference
By Dana Niland from Caribbean Journal
Second time for the Mexican Caribbean destination
The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association Conference and Trade Show will take place this year in Cozumel for the second time, bringing with it the potential for a significant economic boost.
The show, which will be held Oct. 5-9, has in previous years helped to increase passenger and vessel arrivals; spur the development of new piers and cruise destinations; and provide a chance to spotlight destinations’ products, experiences, and infrastructure.
Cozumel and Mexico experienced, respectively, 21 percent and 10 percent passenger arrival increases after hosting the conference for their first time in 2007, according to the FCCA.
This growth continued even in subsequent years, and the economic growth spread far beyond the cruise sector– the increase in cruise tourism traffic brought in $565.4 million in passenger, crew, and cruise line spending to the country’s economy, in addition to 15,990 jobs and $93.5 million in wages.
A 2009 BREA study Economic Contribution of Cruise Tourism to the Destination Economies calculated an average expenditure per passenger in Cozumel of $104.58, benefitting a variety of industries including those of food and beverage, retail shops, ground transportation, and more.
Should this year’s conference generate the same rate of success, the impact in will generate $69.4 million in passenger spending alone, the FCCA said.
Turkey, US agree to cooperate against tax evasion
From TODAY’S ZAMAN / ISTANBUL
Turkey’s Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek has said the US and Turkish governments will sign an agreement that allows the two to exchange financial information with each other to fight against tax fraud.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Şimşek said the deal will allow financial institutions in the US to declare information about their Turkish customers to Turkish regulators and vice versa annually, on a reciprocal basis.
The agreement, which was scheduled to be signed on Thursday, is going to be based on Model 1 of the Model Intergovernmental Agreement to Improve Tax Compliance and to Implement the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, which involves reciprocity in data sharing, Şimşek said. He added that the type of model agreement made depends on the nature of the relationship between the US and signatory countries and their judicial systems. The US has already signed Model 1 agreements with 61 states and Model 2 agreements with seven others. Model 2 is a scheme under which signatory states are allowed to submit information directly to the IRS rather than to their local tax jurisdictions, as is required under Model 1.
Along with the struggle against tax evasion, the deal is also aimed at improving cooperation between the two countries to encourage people to voluntarily comply with their tax obligations.
Şimşek said the agreement will come into force after it is passed in Parliament.
Turkey’s tax system draws more than two-thirds of its revenue from indirect taxes on consumption goods while collecting only a small portion in income tax from wealthier people. Indirect taxes, which are not directly paid to the state and which citizens are often not aware of, such as the value-added tax (KDV) in the price of consumption goods, the private consumption tax (ÖTV) and fees for official documents such as passports, accounted for some 69 percent of all tax revenue in 2013.
A report prepared by the consulting firm McKinsey in 2012 said the amount held in offshore bank accounts by Turkey’s wealthiest individuals and businesses was $158 billion at the end of 2010.
FirstRand expands in Guernsey
South African banking group, FirstRand, is to open a Guernsey branch.
The Guernsey Financial Services Commission (GFSC) issued a deposit-taking licence to FirstRand’s Guernsey branch on 17 October.
The new banking operation will trade as FNB Channel Islands and will launch formally in 2015.
The bank enhances FirstRand’s presence in Guernsey as it already provides a wide range of fiduciary services through FNB International Trustees—the specialist international offshore service provider of the FirstRand Group.
FirstRand is South Africa’s largest bank by market capitalisation and this new branch will bring the total number of licensed banks in Guernsey to 31.
Fiona Le Poidevin, chief executive of Guernsey, said: “FirstRand is a welcome addition to the Guernsey banking market. The group is among the biggest financial services firms in South Africa and the fact that it has chosen Guernsey as a location for an offshore subsidiary reinforces the global and international nature of our banking industry.”
“Guernsey has enjoyed strong business links with South Africa for some time and this development is further evidence of that relationship.”
“FirstRand has had a long-standing fiduciary presence in the island and is therefore well aware of the infrastructure and expertise available in Guernsey.”
The most recently published figures from the GFSC show that the total value of deposits held by banks in Guernsey stood at £77.4 billion at the end of June 2014.
SOURCE: http://www.caymanfinances.com/firstrand-expands-guernsey/
Local badass pulls hooks out of hammerhead shark
By Jeff Leeson From Mashable
Sharks are our friends, not food.
One beach-goer, who has clearly not seen Sharknado, hauled a hammerhead shark close to shore in an effort to remove multiple deep sea hooks caught on its mouth. He summoned his inner Aquaman to calm the shark and, with the help of several others, managed to free it from its entrapment.
To view the whole event go to: http://mashable.com/2015/07/24/beachgoer-rescues-shark/?utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Mashable+%28Mashable%29&utm_cid=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-All-Partial&utm_medium=feed&utm_source=feedburner&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher
Caribbean hotel occupancy up 2.6 percent
From eTN
The Caribbean hotel sector continues to show strength, according to the newest report from STR Inc. The region’s hotel occupancy rose to 69.8 percent in June, up 2.6 percent from the same month in 2014.
It was also the 14th straight month in which the Caribbean’s hotel occupancy showed positive year-over-year growth, a trend that began in May 2014.
Average daily rates also rose in June, improving by 4.3 percent to $198.65, while Revenue per available room (RevPAR) rose 7 percent to $138.70.
For the year, hotel occupancy is at 73.4 percent, up 3.2 percent from the first half of 2014. STR data surveys 1,922 hotels comprising 229,930 rooms in the wider Caribbean region.
For more: http://www.eturbonews.com/61793/caribbean-hotel-occupancy-26-percent
Antiguan students receive scholarships from Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association
The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association Education Foundation (CHTAEF) has awarded a record amount of scholarships to Caribbean students pursuing studies in tourism and hospitality related fields.
The Antigua Hotels & Tourist Association, held a brief award ceremony on Tuesday 30th June for the successful Antigua recipients at the Sugar Ridge Club.
Out of a pool of 85-plus applicants, 5 young Antiguans received scholarships to pursue studies regionally and internationally. Latoya Gonsalves, Tiffany Gordon, Kempton McCalmount, Nadia Robinso and Gabrielle Thomas will pursue studies at the Culinary Institute of America, University of Technology, University of the West Indies, Monroe College and Johnson & Wales Road Island respectively.
Richard S. Khan, Chairman of CHTAEF, noted that the applicant pool was extrememly competitive and the Board of Trustees had quite a task selecting the awardees who were selected based on their academic achievements as well as previous work or internship experience in the hospitality industry.
According to Neil Forrester, General Manager of The Antigua Hotels & Tourist Association, “our organization and its members have always been staunch supporters of the CHTA Education Foundation. We’re are extremely pleased that five of our young industry professionals will be able to further advance their careers through financial assistance from foundation. In addition, we encourage more young persons to capitalize on the scholarships that are available to pursue further education.”
Nadia Robinson, one of the awardees, is a second time recepient and received one of the largest disbursements of US$5000 and has indicated that she plans to become a hotel operations manager and currently owns a small business. Ms Robinson has been employed in the tourism industry since the age of 16 and exemplifies the spirit and dedication needed for the success of the local industry.
The Education Foundation has awarded more than US $2 million in scholarships and grants since its inception to applicants who are involved in the hotel and tourism industry. For more information visit www.chtaeeductionfoundation.com or contact them via email at [email protected].
Prisoner killed as cops, gunmen clash in Trinidad
From Jamaica Gleaner
Media reports say at least one police officer was also shot while two prisoners remain at large.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: CMC – A prisoner was shot and killed during an attack between several gunmen and security officers at the Port of Spain Prison on Friday.
National Security Minister Carl Alfonso said that a prison officer was also injured.
Earlier, members of the Jamaat Al Muslimeen group clashed with police at Belmont on the outskirts of the capital as they demanded the release of several of their members detained in connection with the 2014 murder of former state prosecutor Dana Seetahal.
Attorney Criston Williams confirmed that two of the Muslimeen members were released on Thursday night, even as Fuad Bkar, the son of the Muslimeen leader, Yasin Abu Bakr who staged an unsuccessful coup in 1990, complained that the members who had gathered outside the police station had been assaulted.
“They started pushing and pulling individuals, I was choked by one officer who held me by the neck and pulled me across a table in the lobby,” Bakr told a radio station on Friday.
Bakr said the Muslimeen had gone to the police station to seek the release of at least seven members, including a woman, who had been detained since Monday as the police probe the murder of Seetahal, who was gunned down as she left a casino during the early hours of May 4, last year.
For more: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/caribbean/20150724/prisoner-killed-cops-gunmen-clash-trinidad
Haiti president calls for tougher action against corruption
By Joseph Guyler C. Delva From Caribbean News Now
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (HCNN) — Haitian President Michel Martelly has instructed anti-corruption authorities to apply a “zero tolerance” policy against corrupt government functionaries and other people involved in financial crimes and other acts of corruption in the impoverished Caribbean country, officials say.
The head of the anti-corruption unit (known as ULCC), Rodiny Jean-Baptiste, said Martelly has given him very clear instructions to investigate and to make sure that functionaries involved with corrupt practices are prosecuted regardless of their ranks in the public administration.
“I have received very clear instructions from President Martelly to investigate and make sure legal proceedings are engaged against any functionary that would be involved in corrupt practices,” Jean-Baptiste told HCNN on Thursday.
“President Martelly told me not to hesitate to take action even if he, himself, was the one involved with corruption,” the top anti-corruption officer said.
“With such clear instructions, The ULCC feels comforted and strengthened to pursue the fight against corruption that is a big scourge for the society,” Jean-Baptiste told HCNN.
The country’s highest anti-corruption official made those comments after a report, made by his unit, has been leaked to the media regarding the misappropriation of nearly $10 million in transactions operated between the Haitian Port authority and a private maritime agency.
The ULCC has also worked and produced reports on several other cases of corruption, including a scandal that involved the embezzlement of several million dollars in state funds by school owners participating in the government-funded tuition-free education program for Haitian children.
The Caribbean country is preparing to hold crucial presidential, legislative and local elections before the end of the year.
Cayman Islands Chatterbox: Early Childhood Tutoring and Playschool
We are excited to welcome Kara Margotto to our team of educators and therapists at Chatterbox.
Kara has a degree in Early Childhood and has been working with children in the public and private sectors for over 10 years. Her passion for working with children of all different abilities is rooted deep in her family. She has done everything from being a private home school nanny, and teaching in preschools and day cares, to being a Centre Director for one of the largest American educational companies called Knowledge Universe.
Kara will be running our Playschool, which runs from 9-12 Monday through Friday and also offering tutoring services here at Chatterbox. She is eager, loving, fun and the favourite part of her job is seeing children’s and parent’s faces, when they see what their child has accomplished.
To discuss our Playschool or early childhood tutoring services available, please call Kara on 525 1404 or 949 7065 or email her at [email protected]
Grenada underwater park has new statue
By Gay Nagle Myers From Travel Weekly
IMAGE: Photo Credit: Orlando A. K. Romain
The Nutmeg Princess statue has been added to Grenada’s Underwater Sculpture Park at Moliniere Bay, just north of the capital of St. George’s on the southwest coast of the island.
The 11-foot-tall statue joins 100 sculptures at the park that opened in 2007 and serves as an artificial reef that forms a substrata for the growth of marine life.
The statues are strategically placed within a marine protected area, but are visible to snorkelers, divers and those viewing from a glass-bottom boat.
The Nutmeg Princess depicts Grenada’s first fairy tale princess emerging from a large nutmeg pod and reaching to the heavens with a handful of the spice Grenada is known for.
The sculpture was inspired by the 1992 book “The Nutmeg Princess” by Grenadian author and playwright Richardo Keens-Douglas and designed by artist Lene Kilde.
In the story, the princess is a positive character who represented the land and who lived by her motto, “If you believe in yourself, all things are possible.”
For more: http://www.travelweekly.com/Caribbean-Travel/Grenada-underwater-park-has-new-statue
Defective Sony stereo is a fire hazard that drives your dog nuts
By Sean Buckley From engadget
The Sony CMT-SX7 HiFi was supposed to be a compact, high-end sound system with multi-room capabilities and a full suite of wireless streaming standards (including AirPlay and Google Cast). Instead, it’s a recalled safety hazard that doesn’t play music right, makes your dog bark and threatens to catch on fire. Sony has issued an impassioned plea to stop using the stereo immediately. You probably don’t have one (it’s brand-new, and only available in Japan right now), but if you do, you should listen.
According to the company’s official (and machine translated) statement, the CMT-SX7 has a tendency to put out very loud high-frequency signals while playing music–it’s inaudible to the human ear, but it’ll drive your pets crazy. It’s a possible fire hazard, too: Sony says the setup’s tweeters can become hot enough to smoke and break. The company asks users to stop using the unit and to unplug it from the wall, just to be safe.
Sony is still working out how to handle recalls and repairs, but promises to post an update for owners sometime in the next two weeks. Bookmark the source link below to keep tabs on the situation.
Caribbean athletes commended for outstanding performances at Pan Am Games
By Andre Huie From WINN
St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN): Caribbean countries are finally beginning to realize the potential in sporting excellence and are putting together programs to help develop this talent. That’s according to Jamaican sports analyst Leighton Levy, who was speaking about the excellent performances of Caribbean athletes at the Pan Am Games currently being held in Toronto, Canada.
Aside from the Pan AM Games, Levy on Friday also commented on the victory of the Jamaica senior men’s team over the United States in Atlanta on Wednesday in the Concacaf Gold Cup Semi Final. Jamaica became the first ever Caribbean team to qualify for the Gold Cup finals, which will be held this Sunday in the US at 7:30pm.
Western Union Pride of the Caribbean Scholarships
Western Union Pride of the Caribbean Scholarships 2015/2016
Deadline date: August 14, 2015
Number of Award(s) Seven
Value US $5,000 (2 scholarships); US $1,000 (5 scholarships)
Maximum Tenure One (1) year
Eligibility: The award is available to full time registered students for the 2015/2016 academic year at one of the UWI’s On Campus, Off Campus or Open Campus Facilities and are:
⇒Caribbean nationals, Caribbean born, or of Caribbean parentage (a US-born child of at least one Caribbean-born parent).
⇒Currently residing in the Caribbean.
⇒18 years or older.
⇒ Entering level two (2) and above of their undergraduate degree programme.
⇒Graduate students must have obtained at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree at the undergraduate level.
Criteria The award is based on:
⇒Maintenance of a high level of academic performance (GPA of 3.0 or above);
⇒Demonstrable involvement in co-curricular activities;
⇒Verifiable financial need.
Download application: http://www.open.uwi.edu/undergraduate/western-union-pride-caribbean-scholarships
Greenlight Capital Re, Ltd. To release second quarter 2015 results
Tickers: GLRE PUK MFC GNW
Save the date press release Q2 2015
GREENLIGHT CAPITAL RE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TO RELEASE SECOND QUARTER 2015 RESULTS
GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands – July 24, 2015 – Greenlight Capital Re, Ltd. (NASDAQ: GLRE), a specialist property and casualty reinsurer based in the Cayman Islands and Ireland, today announced that it expects to release financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2015 after the market closes on Monday, August 3, 2015. A live conference call to discuss the financial results will be held on Tuesday, August 4, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time.
Hosting the call and available during the question-and-answer session will be David Einhorn, Chairman of the Board of Directors; Bart Hedges, Chief Executive Officer; Tim Courtis, Chief Financial Officer and Jim McNichols, Chief Actuarial Officer.
